Combined latch and catch for doors.



G. M. SEXTON.

COMBINED LATCH AND CATCH PCR DOORS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 13, 1910.

Patented Nov. 29, 1910.

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CHARLES IVI.

SEXTON, OF AURORA,

LLINOIS.

COMBINED LATCH .AND CATCH FOR DOORS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 29, 1910.

Application filed September 13, 1910. Serial No. 581,889.

To all whom tt' may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES M. SnX'roN, citizen of the United States, residing at Aurora, in the county of Kane and State of illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Latches and Catches for Doors, of which the following is a specication.

This invention relates to devices for holding screen doors in closed position, and operating both as a latch and a catch to prevent doors from rattling when closed, and likewise preventing them from being opened too easily, at the same time yieldable to a suiiicient extent to enable the door to be readily operated.

The principal object of the invention is to simplify and improve the construction and increase the efficiency and utility in devices of this character, and with this and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, hereinafter described; and, then specifically pointed out in the claim, and in the drawings illustrative of the prefered embodiment of the invention.

Figure l is a side elevation of a portion of a door frame and its casing, together with a portion of a screen door with the improvement applied. Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the lineb 9.-2 of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation of the improved device applied to the portion of a door casing.

The improved device comprises a combined latch and catch formed of a resilient body adapted to be connected at its ends to the door casing, and projecting intermediate its ends into the path of the door, so that the door when opened and closed will engage the projecting portion of the device and compress it as the door passes either in opening or closing.

rlhe improved device is preferably formed from a single piece of wire bent into a plurality of coils with eyes at t-he ends to receive the holding screws and with the intermediate portion of the coils the largest, as shown more particularly in Fig. 3, wherein the intermediate coils are represented at l0, the terminal eyes at l1 and the holding screws at l2, the screws being inserted into the casing at the latch side of the door represented at 13. The coils l0 are gradually enlarged from each end toward the center, as shown in Fig. 3, and the device is so attached to the casing 13 that the central enlarged coils project beyond the jamb portion of the casing or door frame and into the path of the door, represented at 14, when the latter is opened and closed. The member l0 being formed of resilient material will yield Linder' the pressure of the door and permit the door to pass, and then when the door is closed the device will again yield and permit the door to pass, but will immediately and automatically project again into the path of the door and prevent it from opening unless a suliicient force is applied to overcome the resistance of the coils.

lt will thus be noted that a simply constructed and effectually combined latch and catch is produced, which eectually supports the door in closed position, and at the same time is yieldable to permit the door to be opened. The resiliency of the device is sutticient to prevent a door from being accidentally opened by wind or other similar cause.

The improved device may be constructed of any suitable wire, japanned, bronzed, or otherwise coated or treated, either for ornamental or protective purposes, and may be varied in size to correspond to the size of the door to which it is to be applied.

Having thus described my invention, what is claimed as new is- As a new article of manufacture, a combined latch and catch for doors formed of a coil of wire, greatest in diameter intermediate its ends, and with means at the ends for attachment to a door casing, with the larger intermediate portion of the coil extending into the path of a door and' engaged thereby when same is opened and closed.

In testimony whereof, I afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES M. SEXTON. 

